


Our Marks

by Kyuubiluver342



Category: Naruto
Genre: Bottom Uzumaki Naruto, M/M, Redemption, Seme Uchiha Sasuke
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-07
Updated: 2019-06-07
Packaged: 2020-04-12 01:54:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19122223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kyuubiluver342/pseuds/Kyuubiluver342
Summary: Naruto is placed in charge of Sasuke. Sasuke is realizing just how much he lost in his betrayal. Maybe he can make up for it somehow?





	Our Marks

 

Sasuke sighed and stared at the sky before glancing back inside. He heard a small moan and watched as the other rolled over in his sleep, smacking his lips as he curled up against Sasuke’s pillow. Sasuke found himself smiling without thinking about it and turned away. Who would have thought it would have ended like this? After everything that had happened, that this would be the conclusion? The moon caught his eye and he could only stare as his mind drifted.

 

It was soon after the war had end. Everything he had worked so hard for, everything he had sacrificed had all come down to finally facing Itachi and killing him, yet in the end, the victory was hollow. Everything had been for not and he had been left without a path to follow. The war had been a distraction from his pain, but after it was done, Sasuke found himself on shaky ground. Yes, he had helped stop the world from ending, but he was still a villain in many people’s eyes, including those of his once friends.

He had expected to be thrown in jail and an execution date planned, but it seems plans never went that way when Naruto was involved. He had all, but begged for Sasuke’s life, even after the final fight between them. He had preached that Sasuke was a lost soul and therefore, needed a steady path, not a swift execution. Sasuke hadn’t expected anyone to listen, but it seems in the years he had been gone, Naruto had gained allies left and right, especially in high up places.

One day, about a month after he had been locked up, he was pulled from his prison and brought before the council of elders and clan heads, thought some had been replaced by their heirs like Shikamaru and Ino. Naruto was already there, dressed nicely for once and Sasuke almost couldn’t take his eyes off him.

“Let the council come to order. We are here today to discuss the life of Sasuke Uchiha. Sasuke Uchiha has been charged with treason, murder, several accounts of attempted murder along with conspiring against the village.” the head said.

Naruto shifted slightly as the arguments started. Many of the elders were claiming that Sasuke should be punished severely while many of the clan heads were saying he should be spared. After all, in the end, he did rid the village of Orochimaru and completely destroy the Otogakure along with helping to take down the Akatsuki, that had to count for something. Naruto coughed and the room went quiet. Sasuke looked around, startled to realize that Naruto could quiet a room so quickly.

“Sasuke might have left the village, but if we are going to be pointing fingers, then they should point right back at the people before you. Sasuke was a lost soul in need of guidance and got very little of it. He should have been taken in by the village and helped after the slaughter of his clan, but no one did. Instead, he was left to his own devices and darkness grew in his heart. I, myself, also failed to help him.” Naruto looked down.

Several members immediately started to object, including several of the heirs, but Naruto gave a look and they calmed. 

“Sasuke needed help then and he still needs it now, what he doesn’t need is to be locked away forever. The Uchiha bloodline is still alive and if we want to keep it that way, we need to help him.” Naruto stated.

The arguments after that mostly died down. No one wanted to go against Naruto, who had so many allies. Sasuke found himself just staring at the other man, wondering when he had grown so much. One member cleared their throat and spoke.

“Then might I suggest Uzumaki-san be put in charge of Uchiha-san for the time being. He seems to be the only one able to keep him under control anyway.” he stated.

Naruto blinked, startled before glancing at Sasuke.

“I don’t see why not.” Tsunade replied.

She had been oddly silent this whole time, just watching and waiting.

“Hokage-sama?” Naruto muttered, trying for once to be respectful.

“I can’t help, but also agree.” Shikamaru said.

“Shikamaru.” Naruto glared.

“He’s right, Naruto-kun.” Hinata said softly.

“If anyone is going to keep an eye on him, I would trust Naruto to do it.” Ino said simply.

The agreement was pretty unanimous after that and Naruto just sighed.

“I’ll do my best then.” he said with a smile.

A few more things were discussed, like where they would live and if Naruto would be taking missions or not. It was decided they would live in Naruto’s apartment since it was in the center of town while the Uchiha compound was on the edge of the village and that Naruto would be off duty until Sasuke could prove he wasn’t going to try anything. As the meeting wrapped up, Sasuke was pulled to his feet and shuffled out the door. On his way out, he caught Naruto’s eye, who just gave him a gentle smile. It shouldn’t have made him feel as calm as it did.

 

Three weeks later, Sasuke frowned as he stared down at the seals on his arms. They were there to prevent him from using any chakra and to keep track of him wherever he went. He was still pretty sure he could still do some damage with just his physical skills, but he kept that to himself, least they decide to cut off his legs or something. With two Anbus on each side, he was walked through village. He wished he could say the dirty looks he got from the villagers surprised him, but they didn’t. The destruction all around him did however.

The village had clearly been on the receiving end of some nasty attacks and the sight of so many places just flat out missing or destroyed sent a little shiver of sadness through him. But the village was still going, people still walked around and worked hard to get the village back up and running. They walked past a small farmer’s market where the main shopping center had been. It was odd to see how different everything was, and yet it was still the same. Sasuke just kept his head down.

They made it to the apartment and the one Anbu pounded on the door. They heard a loud crash followed by cursing, before the door was yanked open. Sasuke had to hold back a chuckle. Naruto stood there, a headband in his hair to hold back his bangs with a white frilly apron on and some pants. He had a smudge of dirt on his cheek and a broom in the other hand.

“Um, Uzumaki-san?” the one Anbu asked.

“Shit, you guys are early. Umm just come in and don’t look around too hard, I’ve been cleaning all morning.” Naruto said rubbing his cheek and smearing the dirt more.

Sasuke was pulled inside and sat down on the couch while Naruto scrambled around, trying to throw his cleaning supplies under the sink and what not. Sasuke turned his head to hide his small smile. The idiot never changed. Naruto sat down across from Sasuke and smiled, the same warm smile that always made Sasuke feel just a little bit better.

“As it was explained, from here on out, you are in charge of Uchiha-san’s every move.” the Anbu explained as Naruto held out his arm.

The same markings were on his left arm and Sasuke frowned.

“Got it.” Naruto muttered as the Anbu activated Naruto’s mark.

“This will allow you to know where he is and if he is attempting to leave the village. If he does try to leave…” the Anbu activated the seals and both Naruto and Sasuke hissed.

It was like being burned alive while at the same time being electrocuted. Sasuke clenched his arm in pain before it stopped. 

“That will also happens if he attempts to use chakra.” he stated.

Naruto just nodded.

“Got it. I’ll keep an eye on him.” Naruto muttered.

After a few more instructions, the Anbus all left and for the first time Sasuke was alone with Naruto. For a moment, they were quiet, Naruto staring at Sasuke while Sasuke just stared at the floor. Naruto stood up and sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

“I guess I should make us some lunch.” he muttered going to the kitchen.

Sasuke watched him go and had to ask.

“Why?” Sasuke asked.

Naruto paused and glanced back with a smile.

“Because you’re my friend. I couldn’t let them…” Naruto trailed off.

“I almost killed you.” Sasuke said coldly.

“So did Gaara or Pain, or even Sakura-chan on an occasion or two. You’re not that special.” he laughed.

“I left you behind.” Sasuke stated.

“You did and that hurt, but if I was mad about that, I would have to be mad at everyone who left me behind at one point or another and I don’t think I could keep that up.” Naruto said.

Sasuke grit his teeth.

“You should have let them kill me.” he demanded.

Naruto just stared and it was so sad, so lost before he looked away.

“I spent the last years of my life looking for you, trying to bring you back. I hate to say it, but I’m selfish and I want you here. I want to see you, I want to be friends again. I know...maybe that’s crossing the line a bit and maybe I shouldn’t have interfered, but I couldn’t let them do that to you.” Naruto explained.

Sasuke turned away. He hated that everything Naruto said hit him right where it hurt. He hated that his mind was telling him that finding a jewel like Naruto was a one in a million shot and he was ruining it. That he didn’t deserve to have this second chance with Naruto at all.

“Sasuke….I don’t expect you to be happy with me. I want you to be, but I’ve wanted a lot of things in my life and they never came true, so I don’t expect much here either. I just want you to know that what you do from here is up to you. I can’t help you anymore. So, if you do something wrong, they will execute you.” Naruto explained, arms crossed.

Sasuke looked at the floor and closed his eyes before looking at the marks on his arms.

“I’m done running away if that is what you are saying. I don’t have anywhere left to run to anyway.” Sasuke sighed.

Naruto chuckled and it was empty.

“Then stay here? Even if it’s only until they accept you again.” Naruto stressed.

Sasuke just gave a nod and had he ever felt so exhausted? Didn’t seem like it.

“Why don’t you take your stuff to the room? I’ll start lunch.” Naruto said.

“As long as it isn’t ramen.” Sasuke replied and Naruto glared.

“Hey! Guests don’t get a say!” he snapped.

Sasuke stared at the bag by the door, the one the Anbus had carried for him. It was half full, only containing a few simple things like a change of clothes. He didn’t even have his katana or any of his weapons, they said it was too dangerous. He grabbed it and walked to the bedroom, only to pause. Something on the wall made him stop and lean in. The wall was a simple tan color and the paint looked somewhat fresh, but just under that paint, he could make out the word ‘demon’ written in a paint darker than the tan.

A flash of rage suddenly went through him and he cursed when his marks lit up. He heard Naruto yelp from the other room and tried to calm himself. He got it under control and scowled at the wall.

“What the hell was that about! You almost made me burn myself!” Naruto yelled as he came over, rubbing his arm with annoyance.

“What is that?” Sasuke asked, pointing.

Naruto blinked and looked down. He paused before frowning.

“It’s old. I keep painting over it, but since it’s so dark, the paint won’t cover it fully.” Naruto admitted.

Sasuke scowled. He had never really been in Naruto’s apartment before he left, now that he thought about it. He wondered how many things like this were covered up by a bit of paint.

“Looks, it’s not a big deal, ok? It’s like ten years old at this point.” Naruto shrugged as he walked away.

Naruto was seventeen now which means he had been seven when this was painted onto his wall. Sasuke hated the feelings of anger and sorrow that were churning in his gut, the thought that at one point in his life, Naruto had sat on this very same floor, trying to cover words like this with some paint all by himself. He picked up his bag and moved back towards the bedroom. He found it neat enough with a futon in the corner and a regular bed against the window. He dropped his stuff on the futon and glanced around before pausing.

On the table by Naruto’s bed was a picture frame. He looked it over as he stood there, staring at the young faces of the past. Had they really looked that young? He had felt so old back then, so much wiser than his teammates, as if tragedy had made him older than he really was, but now? He realized he was looking at the face of a fool. A child who didn’t know how the world really worked, who didn’t know what the word tragedy really meant.

“Sasuke! Lunch is ready!” Naruto called.

He put the picture down and returned to the kitchen, where Naruto was pouring some ramen into two bowls. Sasuke made a face while his back was turned, but sat down anyway. Naruto eagerly dug in while Sasuke took his time. Ramen had never been his favorite and he had no idea why Naruto seemed to enjoy it so much, but after his second bowl, Naruto sat back with a happy sigh. Sasuke finally finished his one bowl and watched him calmly.

“So what happens now?” Sasuke asked.

He had never been one to start a conversation and it was clear Naruto was startled that Sasuke had spoken first. He coughed and looked away.

“Well, I need to do some grocery shopping since, you know, there’s more than just me here now, so why don’t we start there?” Naruto asked.

Sasuke raised an eyebrow. He wasn’t sure how well that would go over with the villagers, but it beat sitting here and staring at each other. So they cleaned up and Naruto changed out of his apron, though Sasuke wondered if Naruto knew how sexy he looked in just an apron, and into a simple sleeveless shirt before they left. They started at a local marketplace, one Sasuke had frequented as a child, but as he stood there, by Naruto’s side, he could feel the eyes on him, the whispers around him.

He felt his body tense, he was not used to being around so many people anymore, the walls felt like they were closing in and his hands tightened into fists as his fight or flight mode kicked in. He was just about to…

“Hey, do you like apples or oranges more?” Naruto asked, shoving the two fruits into his face.

Sasuke leaned back, blinking.

“Hn?” he asked.

“Apples or oranges? Which do you like better?” Naruto asked again, staring at him.

Did Naruto know he had been panicking? He didn’t think so, but the distraction was enough to calm his nerves.

“Oranges.” he said after a moment and Naruto smiled.

“Great!” Naruto said, putting the apple back and grabbing some oranges. 

They walked around for a while, Naruto picking out some fresh fruits and vegetables, but always checking to see what Sasuke liked as well. It was simple, it was calming and Sasuke could almost pretend that everything was normal between them and then Sai showed up.

“Oh, hey Sai!” Naruto said with a wave.

Sasuke turned his attention to the final member of Team Seven and paused. He remembered that they had replaced him with this guy when they went to get him back, but he hadn’t bothered to learn anything more about him. Sai turned to them and smiled, but it was about as fake as anything Orochimaru had ever told him. Sasuke immediately didn’t like him.

“Oh, hello, Naruto-kun. Sasuke-kun.” he replied simply.

“Haven’t seen you in a while, how are you?” Naruto asked curiously.

“I am well and I see you are doing well too.” Sai said glancing at Naruto’s arms.

Sasuke felt like something had crawled up his spine. He didn’t like the way Sai stared at Naruto’s arms.

“Huh? Well, yeah I’ve kept up my training, of course.” Naruto said confused.

“Really?” Sai reached out and pulled Naruto’s shirt up, making Sasuke scowl.

“My, it does look like that, huh?” Sai said as Naruto yelped and pulled his shirt back down.

“Oi! Sai, we’ve talked about this!” Naruto hissed.

Talked about this? As in this has happened before? Sasuke could have glared daggers through Sai’s head.

“Sai!” another voice yelled and they turned to see Ino run over before latching onto Sai’s arm.

“Ino-chan! How are you?” Naruto asked and she smiled, though her eyes did dart to Sasuke quickly.

“I’ve been great, how are you?” she asked, her tone however was worried despite her smile.

“I’ve been good, just came to get some groceries.” Naruto replied holding up the basket.

“That’s good and it’s good you are keeping Sasuke-kun close by. We all know what will happen if he is left by himself.” Sai said simply.

Ino immediately punched him in the side and Sai groaned. Naruto just sighed.

“Sai, honestly.” Ino moaned.

“It’s alright.” Sasuke said.

Everyone looked at him and Sasuke stepped forward.

“I know what I’ve done can’t be forgiven, but Naruto has given me a second chance. I wouldn’t throw that back in his face.” Sasuke explained.

Ino looked startled, but his eyes were only for Sai. It was clear that Sai would be a big challenge.

“We’ll just have to see.” Sai replied.

With that, Ino and Sai moved on and the two were left alone. Naruto sighed.

“Sorry about Sai. He’s a little...weird.” Naruto made a face.

“It’s fine.” Sasuke replied.

They paid for their things and moved on. As they walked along, Sasuke could see people watching them, whispering about them as they went. Naruto didn’t seem bothered by it one bit and Sasuke wondered why that was, but then Sasuke realized that he was used to it. Hadn’t he been stared at and whispered about all his life? Naruto must be used to ignoring it by now. 

“Naruto!” a loud, boisterous voice yelled.

They turned to see Lee coming up on them quickly, running on his hands in their direction. He stopped short of running right into them, smiling as wide as he could.

“How are you, my youthful friend!” he asked and Naruto laughed.

“Great as always, Lee. How’s your training coming?” Naruto asked.

“Huh? Training?” Lee paused.

Lee blinked and then laughed.

“Ah, this? This isn’t training! This is just my daily run! A hundred laps around the village! It’s just a small warm up!” he said smiling.

Both Naruto and Sasuke just sweatdropped.

“I-Is that so?” Naruto laughed nervously.

Lee jumped up, turned and landed on his feet. How he could have so much energy all the time, Sasuke would never know. 

“But, my friend, I hope you wish me all the best of luck because today is the day!” Lee yelled posing.

“Oh shit, seriously? Today is finally the day?” Naruto asked curiously.

“The day for what?” Sasuke asked.

Lee looked at him before leaning in close.

“Today is the day I ask Sakura-chan to marry me!” Lee yelled.

Sasuke just raised an eyebrow. As far as he knew, Lee had asked Sakura out many times and had been turned down every time. What made him think today was different?

“How do you know today is the day?” Naruto asked curiously.

“THIS!” Lee wiped a small Sakura blossom out of his pouch and held it up.

“A Sakura blossom?” Naruto asked.

“This morning, after years of hard work, I was able to pick a single blossom off the top of tallest Sakura tree in Konoha without a single other leaf or flower falling. Surely, this means my time has come!” his eyes were alight with fire and Naruto just smiled and pat him on the shoulder.

“Then it’s time. Go get her, Tiger.” he said.

Lee ran off screaming about a ‘beautifully youthful marriage’. Sasuke just watched him go. He had forgotten how loud Lee was.

“I would ask, but I am not sure I want to know.” Naruto whispered and Sasuke nodded.

They continued on, Naruto chit chatting about little things that had changed since Sasuke left and before, Sasuke wouldn’t have cared about such nonsense, but now? He found himself listening intently, unable think past how much he had missed since he had left. They ended up at a clothing store and while Naruto mentioned something about getting new underwear, Sasuke was drawn to something else.

A simple blue shirt sat on the shelf and he found himself staring at it. Was it just him or was it the exact color of Naruto’s eyes? He found himself quickly turning away. What was wrong with him today? Since when did he think about things like that? Naruto got his things and they left, but Sasuke couldn’t stop thinking about that shirt.

As they continued walking, Naruto seemed to run out of topics to talk about, so they slipped into a comfortable silence. Though, could you really call it silence when Naruto still insisted on humming some random tune? It sounded somewhat familiar, but Sasuke’s couldn’t place it. He wanted to ask, but perhaps it was better not to?

“Oi, Naruto!” a voice called.

They turned to see Chouji’s head pop out of the BBQ shop and Naruto waved.

“Chouji, hey!” Naruto walked over and they did some odd handshake Sasuke had never seen before.

“What’s up?” Chouji asked.

His eyes darted to Sasuke, but he mostly ignored him. Naruto shrugged.

“Just getting reacquainted with the village. Plus I needed groceries.” Naruto said rubbing the back of his neck.

“Wanna grab some food then? Shikamaru, Kiba and Hinata are here.” Chouji asked.

Naruto turned to Sasuke and Sasuke blinked.

“Wanna grab food or are you good?” Naruto asked.

Sasuke looked at Chouji and then looked around. To be honest, he was mentally exhausted and he wasn’t sure he could handle any more human interaction right now. He glanced at Naruto.

“Actually, Chouji, I think we are going to head home.” Naruto said apologetically.

“Huh? You’re turning down food? Since when?” Chouji asked startled.

“To be honest with you, I’m exhausted. I was cleaning all morning and you know how bad my apartment was. Not to mention, but I did just got back from a mission last night.” Naruto laughed.

Chouji looked like he was about to say something, but Shikamaru came out just then. He paused, cigarette in his mouth and lighter in hand as he looked at them.

“Yo, Shikamaru! Can you believe this? Naruto’s turning down food!” Chouji said shocked.

“Calm down, Chouji. He obviously is just exhausted from his mission yesterday. Just let him go and we’ll see him tomorrow.” Shikamaru muttered.

Chouji pouted, but said his goodbyes and walked back inside. Shikamaru watched him go before sighing and taking the unlit cigarette out of his mouth. He eyed the two before leaning against the doorway.

“You two doing ok?” he asked.

Naruto blinked before smiling.

“We’re fine, right Sasuke?” he asked.

Sasuke just nodded. Shikamaru stared at Sasuke and it felt like he was judging Sasuke’s worth before nodding.

“Just let me or my family know if you guys need anything ok?” Shikamaru asked.

“Shikamaru?” Naruto muttered confused.

Shikamaru turned to look around them, eyes narrowed.

“There’s been some...whispers.” he admitted and Sasuke frowned.

“Whispers as in?” Naruto asked, arms crossed.

“Some people are wondering if your desire to keep Sasuke around and alive will interfere with you being a Konoha ninja. The council was a little uneasy when they realized you were, in a sense, out of commision for a while.” Shikamaru muttered.

Sasuke frowned and glanced at Naruto.

“I don’t get it, there are plenty of ninjas in the village. Why do they need me?” Naruto asked, doing that fox face look.

Shikamaru just sighed and shook his head.

“Naruto, after the war, the village was and still is in ruins. We lost a lot of people as well, so those who are still in action are trying to pick up the slack. The village also needs the money to help with the repairs and everything. Plus we are also helping out the other villages who fought alongside us. We are stretched thin.” Shikamaru explained.

Naruto frowned and looked down, looking extremely guilty and Shikamaru huffed.

“Stop that. You didn’t do anything wrong. This is just the facts as we have them. The problem is, a lot of requests are coming in asking for you personally. Everyone saw you fight during the war and they all want your help now. It will be that way for a while.” Shikamaru stated.

“Me?” Naruto asked.

Shikamaru nodded.

“It seems you are quite popular.” Shikamaru smirked.

Naruto blushed and looked down, rubbing the back of his neck. He didn’t see the look Shikamaru threw Sasuke’s way, a simple warning that Sasuke caught immediately.

“If you don’t snatch him up, someone else will.” it said and he felt his spine go rimrod straight.

“Wow, that’s crazy, but for right now, I’m off duty. I guess they are going to have to wait.” Naruto said simply.

Shikamaru tapped his finger against his lighter before sighing and moving closer. Leaning in, he spoke softly.

“Naruto, please be careful. The village is a good target right now for anyone who wants to cause trouble and you will be a huge target. Keep your wits about you and whatever you do, don’t do anything stupid. We can’t afford to lose you now.” Shikamaru leaned back and gave them a smile before walking back inside.

Naruto watched him go before sighing.

“Let’s head home.” he muttered as Sasuke nodded.

They walked back in silence, Naruto seemed lost in thought and Sasuke found himself staring a bit. When he got like this, it was like you could see the storm brewing in his eyes. They climbed the stairs found something odd sitting outside Naruto’s door.

“Konohamaru?” Naruto asked.

The young man’s head snapped up and he jumped to his feet.

“There you are!” he said smiling. 

When he saw Sasuke, however, he scowled and glared.

“Why are you sitting outside my apartment?” Naruto asked.

“I came to make sure you were ok!” Konohamaru said with a smile.

Naruto just laughed and ruffled his hair.

“I’m fine, remember? The mission wasn’t even that hard.” Naruto stated.

“I’m not talking about that! I’m talking about him.” Konohamaru glared at Sasuke again and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

“Hn.” he replied and Konohamaru scowled.

“Don’t ‘hn’ me, asshole!” Konohamaru yelled.

“Konohamaru, relax, ok?” Naruto held up his hands.

“No! How can you sit there and let him into your house! I mean he could kill you or something!” Konohamaru was waving his arms all around and Sasuke was starting to wonder if Naruto had a kid and just never told anyone.

He certainly reminded Sasuke of when they were younger, or at least when Naruto was younger. Naruto just sighed and moved past him to open his apartment door.

“Calm down, Konohamaru. Sasuke’s fine, ok? He won’t do anything.” Naruto said as the door swung open.

Konohamaru still shot a dirty look Sasuke’s way and he just stared back. Naruto paused, face falling and groceries slipped from his hand. He suddenly went very, very still.

“Naruto?” Konohamaru asked.

Sasuke and Konohamaru moved closer before looking inside. The apartment was trashed, dishes shattered and furniture destroyed. Naruto stepped inside and something went crunch under his foot. Looking down, he moved his foot and found the Team Seven picture frame shattered. He knelt down and pulled the picture from the frame.

“What happened?” Konohamaru asked softly, horrified. 

“I don’t know.” Naruto muttered.

He stepped over the glass and looked around. The words ‘traitor’ and ‘demon’ were painted across the walls and Sasuke felt the rage from before come boiling back to the surface. 

“It’s funny…” Naruto trailed off as he walked deeper inside.

“Funny? How is this funny?” Konohamaru demanded.

“It’s funny because this hasn’t happened in so long. I mean, it’s been years, so I didn’t put up my traps anymore…” Naruto bent down and gently picked up a broken piece of a bowl.

“Traps?” Sasuke asked.

“Yeah, every day before I left, I would put up traps on the door and the windows to keep people out. I haven’t done that in years, but I considered it before we left this morning…” Naruto chuckled and it was empty.

Konohamaru moved over to him and wrapped his arms around Naruto’s shaking shoulders. He didn’t say a word, but his trembling body was enough to tell Sasuke everything. He grit his teeth, wishing with all his might he could do something. The marks on his arms seem to burn, as if to remind him of his powerlessness.

“Oi, Naruto, you there?” Kiba’s voice called.

Sasuke peeked his head out to see Kiba, Hinata, Shikamaru and Chouji climbing up the stairs. They paused when they saw Sasuke and Kiba scowled, Akamaru growling angrily beside him. Naruto sniffled and stood up before walking past Sasuke, a fake smile plastered on his face.

“H-Hey guys.” he hiccuped.

“Yo, man, what happened to you?” Chouji asked, highly concerned.

“I-It’s nothing.” Naruto smiled.

“It’s not nothing!” Konohamaru snapped as he came outside.

“Konohamaru-kun?” Hinata asked confused.

“Naruto, they destroyed your apartment! That’s not nothing!” Konohamaru snapped staring at Naruto.

“They what?” Kiba yelled.

He stormed past them and looked inside. When he saw the wreckage, he scowled and slammed his fists against the door frame.

“What the fuck, man!” Kiba yelled as Akamaru growled.

“What happened?” Shikamaru demanded.

“We just got here.” Naruto admitted.

Sasuke locked eyes with Shikamaru and he scowled. Kiba walked in deeper and looked around.

“The place is trashed.” he muttered.

“S-Should we help him clean up?” Hinata asked.

“You guys don’t have to. It’s not a big deal.” Naruto said softly.

Shikamaru just rolled his shoulders.

“It will be a pain if I try to ignore it. It will keep me up all night.” Shikamaru said walking past.

“Plus there are plenty of us here! We can have it cleaned up in no time and then we can eat!” Chouji said, holding up two large containers.

Naruto’s eyes watered and he smiled. It was such a heartbreakingly tragic look and Sasuke found himself looking away because it just straight up hurt to look at.

“Thanks guys.” Naruto whispered.

Hinata just smiled and placed a hand on his arm.

“You’ve done so much for all of us, Naruto-kun. Let us do this for you.” she said sweetly.

He smiled at her and there was a twist of jealousy in Sasuke’s heart.

“Thanks, Hinata.” Naruto muttered.

They all walked inside and got started, but the more they cleaned, the worse it got. In the bedroom, they found Naruto’s bed cut to shreds and his clothes burned in a pile.

“At least, I got new underwear.” Naruto muttered.

“To be fair, that orange outfit was awful and I am not sad to see it go.” Kiba chuckled.

“Hey, like your outfit is any better!” Naruto snapped.

“This just gives you an excuse to get better clothes. Ask Ino and Sakura to help you. I’m sure they would be all for it.” Shikamaru replied.

“I really wish people would stop dissing my clothes. It was all I could afford back then.” Naruto said annoyed, arms crossed.

“Huh, really?” Kiba asked.

“Well, yeah, I mean no one would sell good clothes to me, so I bought what I could.” Naruto replied.

“So the orange was just because that’s all you could afford?” Konohamaru asked.

Naruto flushed and looked away.

“Well, no, I mean I could have gotten it in blue, but I liked orange. I wanted people to see me.” Naruto said with a flush.

Sasuke and Shikamaru glanced at each other. The whole point of being a ninja was not to be seen. They decided to just leave it alone. They ended up cleaning for most of the night, even with so many people. They stopped at one point to eat the food Chouji had brought before getting back to work. When it was all done, most of Naruto’s furniture was gone, including his bed and the futon Sasuke had been given. As the others left, Naruto thanked them all repeatedly as he closed the door behind him, leaving Sasuke and he alone.

Sasuke rubbed his eyes. He felt completely drained and absolutely exhausted. It seemed like this day had gone on forever. Naruto sighed as he looked around, arms crossed.

“I really liked that couch too.” Naruto muttered as he walked by and Sasuke just glanced at him.

“What? It’s true! I got the cushions to finally feel just right!” Naruto said.

Sasuke just rolled his eyes and looked away. The apartment seemed so empty now. He didn’t like it.

“We’ll go get new furniture tomorrow.” Sasuke stated and Naruto frowned.

“I dunno. I might have to wait. Don’t have a lot of cash after the shopping we did today.” Naruto scratched his cheek.

“You’re joking.” Sasuke muttered.

Naruto just sighed.

“Let’s just go to bed.” Naruto replied.

They walked to the bedroom where they gathered some blankets and pillows that thankfully hadn’t been destroyed and laid them down on the floor. As Naruto settled down, he pulled the Team Seven picture out of his pocket and laid it on the floor between them. Sasuke eyed it.

“Do you ever miss it?” Naruto whispered.

In the darkness, with only the moon shining in through the window, Naruto seem enthrall. Like something untouchable. Sasuke swallowed and was glad Naruto couldn’t really see him. His eyes drifted to the picture and he frowned.

“I miss a lot of things.” he replied.

Naruto was quiet, he nodded before turning over. Sasuke closed his eyes and hoped tomorrow was better.

 

Sasuke woke up the next morning feeling comfortable and relaxed. There was something warm curled up against him and he idly nuzzled closer. He hadn’t felt this calm in years, maybe since the last time he hugged his mom. He hummed and slipped back under the waves.

Sasuke opened his eyes some time later and sat up. The bed next to his was empty and he frowned when he looked down to see Naruto’s pillow laying on his arm. He flushed a bit and quickly put it back before he heard a grunt. Getting up, he peeked into the living room and felt his cock give a very interested twitch.

Naruto was in the middle of the room, doing one arm upside down push ups with only a pair of shorts on. His chest glistened with sweat and his eyes were narrowed with concentration. Now he could see why Sai wanted to look at Naruto’s abs so much.

“Little bit of training, dobe?” Sasuke asked as Naruto looked up.

“Oh hey! Sorry, did I wake you?” Naruto asked as he paused.

Sasuke shrugged and walked into the room, trying to keep his facade of indifference up, but it was hard when Naruto was sitting there, looking like a buffet for the eyes. Naruto got up and stretched, cracking his back in a few placed before sighing.

“So what do you want for breakfast? Unfortunately, we don’t have any plates.” Naruto frowned.

“Oh! We could go out to breakfast! Sakura-chan told me about this place a while back that has great food!” Naruto said excited.

The idea of going out and dealing with people right now was the last thing he wanted to do, but Naruto seemed so excited. Sasuke just shrugged.

“Fine by me.” he replied.

Naruto grinned.

“Then it’s settled. I guess I should shower first.” Naruto said taking a sniff of himself and making a face.

Sasuke just rolled his eyes.

“I need a shower too. I’ll wait until you’re done.” he stated.

Naruto walked past before stopping.

“You called me dobe...it’s the first time you’ve called me that, teme.” Naruto said happily before walking away.

Sasuke stood there, staring. He hadn’t even realized it, but Naruto was right. That was the first time he had called him that. How odd that an insult could become almost affectionate. Sasuke shook his head. Was he losing his goddamn mind? Why was he feeling all these weird things all of a sudden? He needed to keep his wits about him. There was a knock on the window and he looked up to see Kakashi leaning on the window. Honestly, did this man ever just use a door?

“Yo.” he said with a smile as Sasuke opened it for him.

He looked around before turning his attention back to Sasuke.

“So looks like you guys did a little spring cleaning.” he said pleasantly.

Sasuke’s eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms.

“We didn’t have a choice, but you already know that.” Sasuke stated.

Kakashi stood there for a moment and Sasuke could hear the shower turn on. When that happened, Kakashi turned serious.

“Shikamaru spoke to me about it last night. He naturally asked if we could find out who did it, but the Hokage-sama told him to stand down.” Kakashi explained.

“Why?” Sasuke demanded.

“It’s simple, the last thing we need is more strife in the village. She knows that, as do you.” Kakashi said coldly.

“And that means?” Sasuke demanded.

Kakashi turned to him, looking bored.

“Sasuke, let me make one thing clear to you, you don’t have a single ally in this village besides Naruto. If he turned his back on you tomorrow, the village would not hesitate to end your life. So, do us all a favor and keep your head down. If you can’t do that, at least leave Naruto out of it. He’s stuck out his neck for you more than you deserve.” Kakashi stated.

To hear it coming from his own sensei’s mouth was hard. Sure, he knew Naruto had been the driving force behind getting him back, but to know he was the only one was a little hard to hear. Had even Sakura given up on him? The shower turned off and they heard Naruto singing horribly off key. Kakashi chuckled before shaking his head.

“Naruto...has worked so hard to bring you back. He has sacrificed so much to bring you home. Don’t fuck that up for him or you will find out how many enemies you really have in this village.” Kakashi said simply, though his voice was anything, but gentle.

Normally Sasuke would rise to the challenge, remind him that he was the one who was trained by Orochimaru, a Sanin and that he was a Uchiha. That he wasn’t scared of anything or anyone. Yet, he saw it for what it was, and maybe what he had failed to understand all these years; simple advice. Kakashi was threatening him, yes, but he was also reminding Sasuke that his actions would have consequences for the person who had saved him too.

“I understand.” Sasuke admitted.

Kakashi blinked, a little startled before smiling and ruffling Sasuke’s hair. Much to his annoyance, Sasuke reached up to fix it a bit.

“I’m glad.” he replied.

The door opened and Naruto stepped out in only a towel. The boner that Sasuke had successfully got to go down was suddenly there again. He really needed to figure out how to get an handle on that.

“Oh, hey, Kakashi-sensei! I thought I heard your voice!” Naruto said with a laugh.

Kakashi walked over and ruffled Naruto’s hair, who gave a squeak of annoyance and told him to knock it off, that he wasn’t a little kid anymore. Sasuke watched this all and felt the ping of loss. Kakashi teased Naruto and Naruto, of course, yelled back. He remembered when Kakashi would tease him too, but that was gone now. Never before had the decision to leave the village seemed so heavy. He looked away as Naruto went back into the bedroom. Kakashi looked at him before speaking.

“You know. He’s going to realize soon he doesn’t have any clothes.” Kakashi stated and sure enough, they heard yelling a short time later about how Naruto now had no clothes.

Kakashi just looked at Sasuke and gave him a thumbs up.

“Good luck!” he said before puffing away.

Naruto opened the door and looked at Sasuke.

“Can I borrow some pants? My only clothes are now all sweaty.” Naruto said.

Sasuke nodded and Naruto grinned.

“Thanks!” he said darting back inside.

Sasuke stood up and walked towards the shower. He got in, undressed and got under the spray of the shower. It wasn’t that great, the shower head clearly wasn’t working right, but it was better than rinsing off in a pond or waterfall like he had for the past few years, so he did what he needed to and moved on. He got out and went to the bedroom to get changed, but paused when he saw Naruto just standing there, staring out the window.

“Something wrong, dobe?” he asked as he crossed the room.

The sight of the marks on his arms made him pause for a moment before he covered them up with a new shirt and pants. Naruto hadn’t answered him, just continued to stare out the window.

“Dobe?” he called.

“I know Kakashi-sensei warned you about a few things, but don’t worry about it, ok?” Naruto just smiled at him.

It was startling to realize Naruto had known exactly what they were talking about.

“You knew?” he asked.

“I could hear you guys. You guys forget how good my hearing is, especially all these years training to use Kurama’s power.” Naruto stated.

Naruto looked down.

“Kakashi-sensei never really fought against me when I was trying to get you back.  I knew he didn’t approve, but he was with me every step of the way. I couldn’t have asked for a better sensei.” Naruto smiled.

Sasuke looked down and nodded. Naruto sighed and stretched.

“Let’s go get breakfast. And maybe some new clothes.” Naruto said brightly.

They left the apartment and Sasuke wondered how this was going to last. This simple, easy lifestyle seemed too good to be true. He had to wonder when the other shoe would drop.

 

Their lives continued like that for almost two weeks. Naruto would get up, do some light training in the apartment and then they would wander around town. Sometimes, Naruto would offer to help with some of the construction and they would spend the day rebuilding homes and shops. Other days, they would run into the other members of the original Konoha 11. It was hard getting along with them sometimes. Kiba, very aggressively, made it clear that he, along with several others, didn’t trust Sasuke and didn’t want him around, but they put up with him for Naruto’s sake.

Sasuke wasn’t surprised by that, but he was a little startled to find just how they acted around him. Chouji wouldn’t look at him or interact with him in anyway while Shikamaru often had to play mediator between Kiba/Akamaru and Sasuke. Hinata seemed to just leave him be while Ino flat out stated she wanted nothing to do with him, Sai by her side. Lee seemed unsure of what to do while Tenten just ignored him most of the time. Shino didn’t really speak to anyone as far as Sasuke could figure out, but the one who surprised him most was Sakura.

Sakura was cold to him, answering him only when it directed applied to him or if he directly asked her. She seemed to have no interest in being around him if Naruto wasn’t present. The change from the girl who chased after him to the young woman who seemed to just tolerate him was confusing. It was Hinata who finally took him aside one day to explain it to him.

They had all been training together, something Naruto insisted on to keep his skills from rusting. Sasuke, of course, couldn’t join because that would mean using chakra and that was a big no-no. He also wasn’t sure anyone would trust him coming at them with a weapon. Naruto was going up against both Chouji and Kiba with Akamaru at the same time when Hinata sat beside him, watching the fight, but not really paying attention to it.

“Kiba-kun almost died that day.” she stated and he looked at her.

“That day?” he asked.

“The day you left. It wasn’t just Naruto who followed you, but Kiba, Lee, Neji (she hesitated on his name, his death still raw for her), Chouji, and Shikamaru. Chouji...Neji...even Kiba and Akamaru, they were saved by Gaara, Temari and Kankuro. If they hadn’t come…” Hinata looked away, her eyes watering.

Sasuke looked at the ground. He had never know how many people came to get him. The idea of it, the fact that so many almost died because of him made his stomach turn. He looked at Naruto and swallowed.

“Naruto...almost died too.” Sasuke admitted.

Hinata looked at him, startled before looking down.

“Did you…?” Hinata whispered.

“Yes. I did.” Sasuke replied.

They were quiet, staring at the fight without seeing it before Hinata spoke.

“You’ve been given a second chance. Please don’t make him regret giving you one.” she said before standing up and walking away.

That night, Naruto groaned as he lay on the floor. Furniture shopping had been put on hold for right now, though they had replaced the dishes and kitchen table.

“God, fuck Kiba for going to the back. That hurts like a bitch.” Naruto whined as he lay there. 

Sasuke just sat next to him, staring down at the marks on his arms. Naruto sat up a bit and watched him before tilting his head to the side.

“You ok, teme?” Naruto asked and Sasuke lowered his arms.

“You do realize that they might never take these off, right? They never gave us a time frame for how long they have to stay on for. They could decided to keep them on us for the rest of our lives.” Sasuke stated.

Naruto hugged his pillow and stared at him.

“I know.” Naruto replied.

Sasuke paused. He had never considered that...

“And you knew from the beginning.” Sasuke said hotly.

“Yes.” Naruto replied.

“And you said nothing?” Sasuke hissed.

Naruto just stared at him.

“I told you, I am selfish, Sasuke. I knew they would most likely never take them off of you, that’s why I agreed to be bound to you. If I was going to have a hand in taking your freedom, I might as well lose a bit of my own to make up for it. They were going to stick you with some Anbu for the rest of your life and I didn’t want that. I knew you would never see the light of day again like that.” Naruto explained.

Sasuke glared and he could feel his eyes changing.

“You stole away my freedom!” he snarled.

He felt the rage boil over inside him and he pounced. He slammed into Naruto and forced him onto his back, pining his hands above his head. He pulled the kunai he had stolen from Naruto’s bag and placed it against his throat. The whole time, Naruto just stared at him. There was no reaction, no attempt to stop him, nothing.

“Do you hate me?” Naruto asked.

Sasuke grit his teeth. To know that his worst fears had been realized, to know he might never be able to have things the way they were, to now know that Naruto had sold away his freedom was a kick to the gut. Sasuke stared at his hand, his hand that was shaking. It had never shook like this when he had to kill anyone else. Even the day they had fought, his hand had been steady as he had plunged it into Naruto’s chest, but now? It shook like crazy and he felt like a child again, holding a kunai for the first time.

“You knew and you did it anyway. You made me do it anyway!” Sasuke snapped.

“It was the only way.” Naruto turned his head and looked at his arm where his own mark lay.

“Did you ever consider what it was like?” Naruto asked.

Sasuke frowned.

“What are you talking about?” Sasuke demanded.

“To be bound to a fate you don’t want? Sasuke...you chose to leave the village. You agreed to go with Orochimaru. You agreed to keep the curse seal on you. You decided that he could give you more power and you left everything and everyone for that. Your freedom ended with hundreds of thousands of people dead.” Naruto said calmly.

Sasuke froze, staring, wide eyed at the blond.

“I was bound to a fate I never got a say in. I was chosen to be the next container and my fate was sealed from that point on. There was and will be nothing I can do about that.” Naruto said and he could see the seal appearing on Naruto’s stomach, it glowing faintly.

“But I chose to use my power to help my friends. I wanted to use this power to protect my village and my people. You had a bloodline people would kill for and you threw it all away!” Naruto snapped.

Sasuke found himself rolled over, suddenly he was the one pinned to the floor. The kunai went flying and hit the ground some ways away.

“You threw it all away! You threw everything away, everything I would kill for! You threw…” Naruto’s eyes watered and the tears fell.

“You threw me away. Like I meant nothing. Like...I was trash.” Naruto whispered and Sasuke swallowed as the tears landed on his face.

Naruto looked away before pulled back from Sasuke completely.

“I’m selfish, Sasuke. So fucking selfish because I just couldn’t understand why I felt like I was dying and you seemed fine. Why I did everything I could for you and you still ignored me. I just…” Naruto just shook his head.

There was a strange silence as Sasuke watched Naruto fall apart. He had no words to stop it, nothing to say to make him feel better. Naruto cried silently, head bowed and body shaking and Sasuke couldn’t take it anymore. His hands shook as he reached out and cupped Naruto's face. Naruto looked at him and he swallowed.

“I thought about not going. As I leaned over you, after the fight, I thought about just staying, waiting for someone to find us and coming back, but...Orochimaru’s voice was in my head. He kept telling me I needed more power and in the end, I was weak. I was so weak and I knew it and I left.” Sasuke muttered.

Naruto was watching him and he crumbled.

“I’m sorry.” he whispered as he leaned against Naruto’s shoulder.

And he cried. He cried for all the horrible things he had done, he cried for all the people he had hurt, he cried for all the years he had lost chasing after his brother. He cried and he cried and he cried and when he was done, they were just laying on the floor, foreheads pressed together.

“I’m sorry.” Sasuke whispered.

“I know.” Naruto replied.

They were quiet, tears dry on their faces and only the moon herself was witness to their kiss. Sasuke was pretty sure he instigated it, but as hands touched and clothes slid away, he didn't think too deeply about that. Gentle touches turned rough as passion soared, they didn’t dare stop for even a moment.

“S-Sasuke.” moans echoed in the air and it was harsh, desperate, needy.

Sasuke should have felt embarrassed by how much he lost control, been ashamed by how eagerly he moaned out Naruto’s name as Naruto engulfed him in his hot mouth, but training like that went right out the window. Fingers touched and mouths laid claims and when Naruto gasped as Sasuke slid home into his body, all Sasuke could think about was how big a fool he had been to leave this behind.

Passions roared and Naruto screamed as he came across their stomachs, Sasuke cursing loudly as he came inside and then it was over. The cool air brought them back to the land of the living and they curled against each other, blanket pulled over their conjoined forms. Sleep claimed them both.

 

The next morning was awkward. Sasuke and Naruto were still very much entwined when they woke up and pulling themselves apart was very messy. Naruto laughed as Sasuke made a face at the dried cum on their stomachs.

“I’ll get a washcloth.” Naruto snickered as he stood up.

Sasuke was a little proud to say Naruto was walking with a limp. As they cleaned each other up and then themselves, Naruto spoke.

“I’m selfish.” he muttered.

“And I’m weak.” Sasuke replied.

The two of them looked at each other and Naruto smiled like the sun. Sasuke just let the warmth fill his soul. As they stood there, there was a knock at the door and Naruto cursed.

“Coming!” he called as he threw on a pair of pants and ran to the door.

Sasuke threw on a pair of pants as well and walked into the kitchen to see Naruto talking with two Anbu. When he came in, the Anbu seemed to tense and Naruto looked up.

“Apparently Obaa-chan (Hokage-sama, one of them corrected sternly) wants to see us.” Naruto explained.

“Hn.” Sasuke replied.

“We’ll be right out.” Naruto stated before shutting the door in their faces.

Sasuke held back a snort of amusement, but Naruto just threw him a wink. They got ready and before long, they were in Tsunade’s office. She had paperwork all over the place, on the desk, on the floor and some even on her lap, but she ignored it all to address them.

“I called you both here to make sure you were both still alive and I am glad to see you both in one piece.” she said with a smirk.

“Obaa-chan, that’s mean. We’re adults now.” Naruto whined.

“Well, some of us are.” Sasuke muttered.

Naruto’s head snapped to him and he glared.

“Hey! I’m an adult!” Naruto snapped as Sasuke ignored him.

Tsunade just shook her head and leaned back in her seat.

“You two never change, huh? Anyway, as I am sure you have heard, the village is in dire straits right now. The repairs are going well, but we are, unfortunately, short staffed when it comes to ninjas. Naruto, I know we spoke about you watching over Sasuke, but I need to know, if an emergency came up, can you handle it?” she demanded.

“Of course! I’ve been keeping up with my training, so I’ll be fine!” Naruto said with a grin.

Tsunade turned her attention to Sasuke and he locked eyes with her.

“And if he has to leave the village, can I expect you to be on your best behavior?” she demanded.

Sasuke just nodded and she scowled. Her fist hit the wood of her desk and some of the papers fell off.

“Uchiha, I need a verbal answer when I ask you something. Do I make myself clear?” she commanded.

“Of course, Hokage-sama.” he replied calmly.

She nodded.

“Our village has been beaten down, but we are not broken. We will thrive after all we have been put through and we will return stronger than before. Of that, I have no doubt.” she said and Naruto just smiled.

“Of course!” he said brightly.

“But for the time being, we need all hands ready and willing. So I will let you know if and when I need you. Ok, you two are dismissed.” she said waving, her attention turning to the paperwork in her lap. 

She made a face. Naruto turned to leave, but Sasuke stayed put.

“Hokage-sama, may I ask you something...privately?” he asked.

Everyone in the room tensed from Tsunade herself to Naruto to the Anbu waiting outside. Naruto looked uneasy, but Tsunade just nodded.

“Sasuke…” Naruto looked between them, torn.

“Just go, dobe. I just have a question.” Sasuke said.

“It’s alright, Naruto.” Tsunade said.

Naruto gave a shaky smile and left. Sasuke waited until the door closed before looking at her again. 

“You have a lot of guts to ask me something, Uchiha.” she said coldly.

“I know, but I need this answer.” he stated.

He frowned, now that he had her attention, he wasn’t sure how to ask.

“Spit it out.” she demanded after a few minutes.

“The seal Orochimaru put on me….did it control my emotions? My thoughts?” he asked.

Tsunade blinked, startled. That was not the question she had expected.

“Yes, his seals have been known to control their hosts; physically, emotionally and mentally. That is how he keeps people under control. He fills their mind with all the things he thinks they want; power, wealth, status, etc.” Tsunade explained.

Sasuke nodded along as he looked away. Maybe this explained it? All of his emotions that suddenly seemed all over the place?

“Why do you ask?” she asked curiously.

He didn’t have to tell her anything, but…

“I find myself feeling for the first time in a long time. Like the fog that has been on my mind has cleared.” Sasuke admitted.

She looked startled for a moment before a slow smirk crossed her face.

“Is that so? Is that why I see those marks on Naruto’s neck?” she teased.

He found himself blushing hotly, which stood out against his pale skin. He gave a slight cough.

“Something to that effect, yes.” he muttered.

She tapped her finger on the desk and hummed. She seemed amused, but also cautious. 

“Uchiha, if I am reading the situation correctly, now that the cursed seal is gone, you are feeling the emotions that were blocked from you and you are concerned?” she asked.

“In a sense, yes.” Sasuke replied.

She nodded and looked at him.

“Did you ever think that maybe it wasn’t just the seal blocking them?” she asked.

He looked at her, frowning.

“Not just the seal?” he parroted.

Tsunade rubbed her eyes.

“Boy, I met you before you left and you had the emotional complexity of a squirrel. Perhaps, all this time you have been focusing on killing Itachi and with him gone, all the emotions you ignored are now coming to the surface. Sure, the seal could have helped with that, but you were already on a warpath and didn’t care about anything else.” Tsunade stated.

Was that it? He had been so focused on the death of his brother that everything else had been pushed to the side? It made a lot of sense if he thought about it. He nodded and bowed a bit. Tsunade blinked.

“Thank you, Hokage-sama, for your words. I will consider them.” Sasuke said.

“Good, now get the fuck out of my office. You brats are wasting my time.” she said harshly.

Sasuke nodded and left with a final bow. As the door clicked shut behind him, she hummed.

“What do you two think?” she asked.

Kakashi stepped in from the window while Shikamaru stepped out of the small room to the right of her office.

“I’m not sure, but it does give me some hope.” Kakashi stated as he opened his book.

Shikamaru just sighed and rolled his neck.

“What a drag.” he muttered.

 

Naruto stood outside the Hokage Tower and bit his lip. It had only been a few minutes, but he was nervous. Sasuke could be asking anything and he really didn’t want to see Sasuke hurt. The door opened and Naruto smiled when Sasuke came out, all in one piece too!

“You’re ok!” he said brightly.

“Relax, I just had a question.” Sasuke replied.

“Well, yeah, but you could have pissed her off.” Naruto said crossing his arms.

“The only one who does that is you.” Sasuke replied.

Naruto let out a squawk of annoyance.

“I do not! Obaa-chan loves me!” he said hotly.

Sasuke just smirked as they started to walk. They didn’t really have any destination in mind as they walked. Sasuke just watched Naruto talk and interact as he stood off to the side. From what he could tell, most villagers seemed standoffish towards him, which was fine, but they seemed to adore having Naruto around. 

After getting some new groceries and picked up some more clothes, they found themselves at a small furniture store. As Naruto spoke to the salesmen about getting a new bed, Sasuke found one big enough for two and paused. There was a part of him that wondered what had happened to the Uchiha fortune, he had meant to ask that when they went to see Tsunade but he had forgotten.

“What’cha looking at?” Naruto asked as he walked over.

“Just a bed.” Sasuke replied.

“That’s a big one. What would either of us need such a big bed for?” Naruto asked.

Sasuke smirked and leaned in.

“I can think of a few things. After all, the floor was fun last night, but not the greatest. I bet a bed would be a lot more fun.” he whispered.

Naruto flushed from the tip of his ears down to his toes before he jerked away.

“Pervert!” Naruto hissed, eyes darting around.

“I was just answering you question, dobe.” Sasuke said shrugging.

Naruto glanced at the bed again before looking away.

“I’m not even sure I can afford that.” he replied softly.

Sasuke frowned and looked down. To him, the price was minimal, but to Naruto, it was a lot. He would definitely have to ask about the fortune.

“Then let’s not worry about it right now. Let’s focus on the other stuff.” Sasuke stated.

They walked around and got a new couch and chairs before leaving the store. As they walked out, they found Sakura standing there, her arms full of flowers.

“Yo, Sakura-chan!” Naruto said with a smile.

“Hey guys.”she replied, readjusting her grip.

“Need help?” Naruto asked, but she shook her head. 

“No, Ino asked me to delivery these to a few families along my way home. They barely weigh anything.” she replied.

As they walked, Naruto told her about what Tsunade said and she nodded.

“I heard Tsunade-sama talking to Shizune about it the other day.” Sakura admitted.

“It’s just a very hard time right now.” Naruto muttered.

Sakura nodded before glancing at Naruto.

“Ah, actually Naruto, I’m so stupid. Can you run back to Ino’s place? I think I might have forgotten one.” Sakura said distressed.

Naruto blinked before agreeing and running off. Sasuke went to follow, but Sakura coughed.

“Can I talk to you?” she asked.

Sasuke paused before nodding. They moved over to an alleyway and she leaned against the wall.

“You know, if you are going to mark him, you should at least do it in places he can cover.” she said as she picked a dead petal from one flower.

He looked at her. She sighed and looked down.

“When you left, I made Naruto promise to me to get you back. For years, I held on to the hope he would do just that, but then we learned what kind of things you had been doing and Naruto was working himself to the bone to try and save you and I just…” Sakura sighed deeply.

“I told him to give it up. I told him I didn’t even want you back anymore.” she admitted.

Sasuke stared at her, but he couldn’t blame her. He would have given up on himself too. She just shook her head.

“He didn’t give up though. He told me not to either. That he would bring you back, that he promised and he doesn’t break promises like that.” she smiled.

Sasuke swallowed and looked down.

“I had a question, but I am not sure I want the answer.” Sakura said.

She looked at him and she was so serious. He waited.

“What is your plan from here? I mean, what is your goal?” she demanded.

He paused and locked eyes with her.

“My goal? To make up for the time I lost. To, maybe, one day at least, regain the trust I broke. I know that doesn’t mean anything, it’s all just words right now, but…” he stopped and stared at the ground, breaking their eye contact.

She had never seen him so vulnerable, as if all his defenses were lowered for the first time. Perhaps, there was some hope for him still?

“I don’t want to hurt Naruto again. Or you...or the village.” he said looking around.

“So you finally realized what you had.” she replied.

“Yes, and what I threw away. I probably will never be able to make up for it, but I will try.” he stated.

Sakura just nodded and she stood up. She moved past him, but he coughed.

“Do you happen to know what happened to the Uchiha fortune?” he asked.

Sakura blinked.

“As far as I know, nothing. Why?” Sakura asked.

“Naruto...deserves more than he has. I want to give it to him.” Sasuke said rubbing the back of his neck.

Sakura giggled a bit at his flush.

“Then I would ask Shikamaru and maybe Ino. They would know what actions you can take about it.” Sakura replied.

“Thank you.” Sasuke replied.

Sakura nodded and smiled at him as Naruto came rushing back.

“I-Ino said you had all of them.” he said panting.

“Wow, dobe, that small run winded you? Seems like someone is out of shape.” Sasuke said.

Naruto just scowled and wiped his forehead.

“It’s hot, ok?” Naruto scowled.

“Sounds like excuses to me.” Sakura stated.

Naruto just let out a yell of annoyance, Sakura laughed and Sasuke just let the sounds of Team Seven, back together, roll over him.

 

Sasuke hummed as he blinked, arms wrapping around his waist. One arm held a mark, just like the ones on both his arms.

“Come back to bed.” Naruto’s sleepy voice called.

“Hn, dobe.” Sasuke replied.

That had been so long ago and yet not long at all. They had yet to remove the marks, but Sasuke wasn’t worried about it anymore. Naruto liked to tease him and call them their unofficial wedding bands. Sasuke just hoped one day he could put a real one on that finger.

  
  
  



End file.
